BOSTON - October 15, 2009 --- The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported today that the unemployment rate in Massachusetts rose to 9.3 percent in September and jobs are down 9,200. The August job loss which originally reported at 400 was revised to a 700 job loss; the August unemployment rate was 9.1 percent. The Information and Other Services sectors added jobs in September, while Leisure and Hospitality recorded the largest job loss. The September national unemployment rate was 9.8 percent compared to 9.7 percent in August.

Education and Health Services recorded higher job numbers than one year ago. Professional, Scientific and Business Services; Trade, Transportation and Utilities; Construction and Manufacturing recorded the largest over the year declines. At 3,176,400, jobs are down 110,200 or 3.4 percent from one year ago.

Employment Overview
Other Services added 1,400 jobs in September for a 1.2 percent rate of growth. This is the second consecutive monthly job gain for this sector. With employment at 118,700, jobs are down 1,600 or -1.3 percent from one year ago.

Information added 500 jobs, the fourth consecutive monthly gain for this sector which has added 1,300 jobs since May. At 86,400, Information employment is down 2,700 or 3.0 percent from one year ago with losses in Publishing and Telecommunications.

Education and Health Services jobs were unchanged in September. Health Care and Social Assistance's job gains were offset by the job losses in Educational Services. With 652,600 jobs, the Education and Health Services sector has added jobs 8,800 or +1.4 percent over the year mostly due to the 7,800 job growth in Health Care and Social Assistance.

Government lost 900 jobs with losses in all three components. This is the fifth consecutive monthly job loss for Government. Over the year, Government has lost 10,100 jobs with 4,200 jobs lost in State Government, a 5,000 job decline in Local Government and a 900 loss in Federal Government jobs.

Construction lost 200 jobs in September, after losing a revised 2,500 jobs in August. The Specialty Trades and Building Construction sub-sectors continue to be heavily impacted by the recession. At 108,400, employment is down 22,500 for a 17.2 percent rate of job loss over the year.

Leisure and Hospitality lost 5,800 jobs with losses in both Accommodation and Food Services, down 4,700 jobs, and Arts, Entertainment and Recreation which shed 1,100 jobs. Leisure and Hospitality's September loss follows on an 11,600 job gain from April through August. At 302,600, jobs are down 1,800 over the year.

Trade, Transportation and Utilities lost 2,200 jobs in September after recording modest job gains in each of the two previous months. Transportation, Warehousing and Utilities modest job gain was more than offset by the 1,800 job loss in Retail Trade and a 600 job loss in Wholesale Trade. Employment of 544,600 in the sector is down 23,600 or 4.2 percent from one year ago.

Manufacturing jobs declined by 1,800 in September with losses in both Durable Goods and Non-Durable Goods. With employment of 267,000, Manufacturing jobs are down 17,000 or 6.0 percent from one year ago. Within Durable Goods Manufacturing, Transportation Equipment posted an over the year gain of 200 jobs.

Professional, Scientific and Business Services lost 200 jobs in September after adding 3,100 jobs during the previous two months. Professional, Scientific and Technical Services lost 1,400 jobs and a 400 job loss in Management of Companies was mostly offset by a 1,600 job gain in the Administrative and Waste Management component. Temporary Help Agencies, which accounted for most of the September gain, have added jobs for five consecutive months. With employment at 460,200, Professional, Scientific and Business Services jobs are down 26,100 or 5.4 percent from one year ago.

Financial Activities lost 100 jobs over the month. Following five consecutive months of job losses, Finance and Insurance added 200 jobs in September while Real Estate and Rental and Leasing lost 300 jobs. Financial Activities has lost 1,800 jobs since June. At 206,800, the Financial Activities sector is down 13,500 jobs or 6.1 percent from one year ago.

Labor Force Overview
The Bay State's labor force decreased by 1,000 over the month with 8,300 less Massachusetts residents employed and 7,300 more unemployed. At 3,442,600, the labor force was up 15,900 from September 2008 with 113,100 fewer residents employed and 129,000 more residents unemployed.

The unemployment rate is based on a monthly sample of households, while the job estimates are derived from a monthly sample survey of employers. As a result, the two statistics may exhibit different trends.

NOTES: Local area unemployment statistics for September 2009 will be released on Tuesday, October 20, 2009. The October 2009 unemployment rate and labor force data for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday, November 19, 2009, as will the October 2009 survey of jobs. (See the January, 2009 Media Advisory annual schedule for complete listing of release dates.) Detailed labor market information is available at www.mass.gov/lmi. Historical jobs and labor force estimates for Massachusetts have been revised as of 3/05/09.